Re: Kiss (was: Many Words for One Concept (was: Interesting Words))

En réponse à SuomenkieliMaa <suomenkieli@...>:

>
> > "kussen", "zoenen"
> > The first is somewhat older to me than the second,
> > but they generally mean
> > the same. "Kussen" is a little bit more tender and
> > "zoenen"is more outgoing.
> > Both can also be used for functional kissing at
> > birthdays with familiy
> > members etc.
> > When you give someone a peck on the cheek out of
> > gratitude, you would use
> > "zoenen".
>
> LOL... sorry, but somehow to me, these look like
> "ga-zun-tite" (sorry, I have no clue how to spell the
> German word), we use in the States to say "bless you"
> after someone sneezes.
>
"Gesundheit" in German /g@zunt'hajt/ IIRC. In Dutch you
say 'gezondheid' /G@zOnt'hEjt/. As for the resemblance with 'zoenen', it's only
because the Dutch write the sound /u/ as 'oe' (it was a very strange experience
for me, since in French we write the same sound 'ou', and 'oe' is
pronounced /2/, /9/ or /e/ depending on the word :) ).

> > "tongen" or "tongzoenen"
> > The basic words for French kissing
>
> Hmm, from a foreigner's perspective, that might make
> sense - "TONGen" looks like "tongue"
>
'Tong' also means 'tongue' in Dutch. I can see the connection. In French, for
really much too wet kisses, we sometimes use the word '(se) lécher': to lick
(each other). Needless to say, people who say that are very contempting.

>
> Wow, I never meant for this kissing issue to go so
> far!  Just curious, does anyone have a conculture
> where kissing activity would be considered vulgar or
> pyschopathic?  That might be interesting to hear
> about!
>
As for me, I'd be interested to hear about cultures (not con-, nat- :)) ) where
kissing doesn't exists or is seen as wrong (I've heard that before the arrival
of the Europeans, the Amerindians didn't have kissing, but it is probably a
folks tale).

Christophe.

http://rainbow.conlang.free.fr

Take your life as a movie: do not let anybody else play the leading role.